Pakistan is set to intensify counterterrorism operations in the mineral-rich province of western Balochistan in the aftermath of Wednesday’s suicide bombing on a school bus – which Islamabad had attributed to Indian spies.
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The attack in the town of Khuzdar, which claimed the lives of five high-school girls and five soldiers, came amid Chinese diplomatic efforts to cool tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border Pakistani Taliban and Baloch insurgent attacks staged from Afghanistan.
A further 51 people were injured in the bombing – including 37 children, seven of whom remain in critical condition.
With tensions with New Delhi still running high after their five-day air war earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday vowed that Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies would “relentlessly pursue all those involved in this barbaric act”.
“The architects, abettors and enablers of this crime will be held accountable and brought to justice and the truth about India’s cunning role, a real perpetrator of terrorism but feigns as a victim, stands exposed before the world.”
Following his statement, Pakistan’s government ordered the national media to refer to Baloch rebel groups as “agents of Indian chaos” in its coverage.